Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant named ‘SAKPXC010’

ABSTRACT

A new  Petunia - Calibrachoa  hybrid plant particularly distinguished by having a rose flower color with red-purple veins and purple mid vein and mounding plant growth habit is disclosed.

Genus and species: Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKPXC010’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Petunia-Calibrachoa (Petchoa) referred to by the variety name ‘SAKPXC010’. Variety ‘SAKPXC010’ originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in July 2007. The male parent was a proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa line named ‘5Bdw-7b-1A-1’ (unpatented), which had a pink flower color with an unknown vein color and a creeping plant habit. The female parent was a proprietary hybrid petunia line named ‘AM6-99A-3’ (unpatented), which had a light pink flower color and a mounding plant habit.

In July 2007, an F₁ generation from the initial hybridization was grown and approximately 120 seeds were obtained. In August 2007, 120 seeds were sown and the plants were cultivated in a greenhouse, with only one plant surviving and blooming. Segregation in the F₁ generation resulted in the one plant having a rose flower color with red-purple veins and a purple mid vein and a mounding plant growth habit. In December 2007, a plant was selected that exhibited a rose with vein flower color and a mounding plant growth habit.

In February 2008, the selection was vegetatively propagated to produce rooted cuttings, and the plants were cultivated in an open field. In May 2008, the selection was observed to have its distinct characteristics remain stable. In August 2008, the selection was propagated again and plants were cultivated. In December 2008, it was confirmed that the distinct characteristics of the selection were fixed and stable. The selection was given the experimental name ‘K2008-J-223’. The selection was later named ‘SAKPXC010’ and was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Rose with red-purple veins and a purple mid vein flower         color; and     -   2. Mounding plant growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Petunia-Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a three-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the spring of 2012. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKPXC010’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on three-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2012. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition.

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Petunia-Calibrachoa intergeneric hybrid.         -   Common.—Petchoa.         -   Designation.—‘SAKPXC010’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary hybrid Petunia plant line             ‘AM6-99A-3’ (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa plant line             ‘5Bdw-7b-1A-1’ (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in four weeks. The base             of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a 1:9             solution of Dip 'N Grow (1 solution: 9 water) root inducing             solution immediately prior to sticking into the cell trays.             Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays having 98 cells,             and containing a moistened peat moss-based growing medium.             For the first week, the cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 20 seconds, one time per hour. For the second             week, the cuttings were misted one time every 2 hours for 10             seconds. After that time, the cuttings were misted             occasionally until sufficient roots were formed.

Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown in 20 cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical average air temperature was 24° C.

-   -   -   Time to bloom from propagation.—8 to 10 weeks.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Mounding.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Form.—Decumbant, branching.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—16.0 cm.         -   Spread.—38.0 cm.

-   Stems:     -   -   General.—Circular in cross-section.         -   Stem length.—1.0 cm from soil line to first node, 10.0 cm to             11.0 cm total.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Pubescence.—Heavy. Color: RHS N155A (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Slight, only on peduncle, color is RHS             N187A (Greyed-Purple).

-   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Light.         -   Surface pubescence color (both surfaces).—RHS N155A (White).         -   Length.—3.3 cm.         -   Width.—1.4 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 147A (Yellow-Green). Lower             surface: RHS 147B (Yellow-Green).         -   Fragrance.—Absent.

-   Flowers:     -   -   Total number of flowers (per plant).—Approximately 30.         -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Flower type.—Solitary.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature exceeds 13° C.         -   Duration of flowers.—5 days.         -   Shape.—The flowers are funnel shaped with five fissures and             a shallow, yet slight, indentation of the petal tip at the             midvein.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.

-   Flower buds:     -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Length.—3.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—1.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Color.—RHS 77A and RHS 77D (Purple) with RHS N77A (Purple)             vein.

-   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—2.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Texture.—Dull, light pubescence, pubescence color is RHS             N155A (White).

-   Flower description:     -   -   Flower depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—5.5 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—2.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—0.1 cm.

-   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, fused below the middle.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Length: 1.5 cm. Diameter: 0.25 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS             137A (Green). Lower surface: RHS 137B (Green).

-   Corolla:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 petals, fused.         -   Diameter.—5.0 cm.         -   Petal.—Apex: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Base: Fused.             Pubescence (both surfaces): Glabrous. Lobe length: 2.5 cm.             Lobe width: 3.0 cm. Color: Lobe color: Upper surface: RHS             69C (Red-Purple) with RHS 70A (Red-Purple) veins and RHS             N77B (Purple) midvein. Lower surface: RHS 69D (Red-Purple)             with RHS 70A (Red-Purple) veins and RHS N77A (Purple)             midvein.         -   Corolla tube color.—Inner: RHS 13A (Yellow) with RHS N77A             (Purple) vein and RHS 154D (Yellow-Green). Outer: RHS 144D             (Yellow-Green) with RHS N77A (Purple) and RHS 144B             (Yellow-Green) veins.

-   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5, free.         -   Stamen color.—Anther color: RHS 13C (Yellow). Filament             color: RHS 1D (Green-Yellow).         -   Pollen color.—RHS 11A (Yellow).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary.—Superior.         -   Placenta arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 per inflorescence.         -   Pistil length.—1.6 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 144A (Yellow-Green).         -   Style length.—1.5 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 144D (Yellow-Green).         -   Seed production.—Absent.

-   Disease and insect resistance: Excellent resistance to rain, heat     and drought. Temperature below 10° C. is not optimal. Plants are     susceptible to Botrytis, powdery mildew, various stem and root rots,     and certain viruses, like Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens     Necrotic Spotted Virus. Plants can be infested with aphids,     leafminer, whitefly and various Lepitopdera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKPXC010’ is a new and unique variety of intergeneric Petunia Calibrachoa owing to its rose with red-purple veins and a purple mid vein flower color and mounding plant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC010’ is distinguished from its parents mainly by flower color and plant growth habit as shown in Table 1 below):

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Male Parent Female ‘5Bdw- Parent ‘AM6- Characteristic ‘SAKPXC010’ 7b-1A-1’ 699A-3’ Flower color Rose with red- Pink with un- Light pink with purple veins and known unknown vein a purple mid vein vein color color Plant growth habit Mounding Creeping Mounding

‘SAKPXC010’ is a new and unique variety of intergeneric Petunia-Calibrachoa owing to its rose with red-purple veins and a purple mid vein flower color and mounding plant growth habit. ‘SAKPXC010’ is most similar to the commercial Petunia-Calibrachoa variety ‘Kakegawa S90’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,129), commercially known as SuperCal® ‘Purple’; however there are differences in the flower color as described in the table below (color references are to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4th edition):

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKPXC010’ ‘Kakegawa S90’ Petal color, RHS 69C (Red-Purple) with RHS N74A (Red-Purple) upper surface RHS 70A (Red-Purple) veins with N77A (Purple) veins and RHS N77B (Purple) midvein Petal color, RHS 69D (Red-Purple) with RHS N74C (Red-Purple) lower surface RHS 70A (Red-Purple) veins with N77A (Purple) veins and RHS N77A (Purple) midvein 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant as shown and described herein. 